Reunion
by Webster13
Summary: Twenty years after Arthur takes the throne, he receives an unexpected visitor. Post-Series 3. WARNING- This one may or may not eventually get finished. I OWN NOTHING (except my OC).
1. An Unexpected Visitor

King Arthur sat on his throne next to his queen. It had been nearly twenty years since his father had died and he had taken the crown and married his lover, Guinevere. At that time, it was exciting and new, yet frightening, for he didn't know if he had what it takes to be king. It was, to say the least, interesting.

Now, however, he longed for the time that he was only prince, the time when he was, more or less, free to do what he wanted. Sure, Camelot was undoubtedly much better off with Arthur as its king, but he could not help but wistfully think back to the time when he could have fun.

Suddenly, a young servant boy ran through a side corridor into the throne room. He ran up to Arthur and bowed. "My king!" he said.

Arthur frowned. "Timothy? What are you doing here? Report isn't 'till two o'clock."

The boy straightened. "Two of the guard are just outside. They request to speak to you about a thief they caught in the market!"

"Send them in." Timothy scurried to the door, and, with great effort, began to pull at the handle. Before he had opened it two feet, a large, brawny man dressed in the attire of the palace guard threw the door open, nearly knocking Timothy off of his feet.

"King Arthur!" he bellowed, respectfully falling to one knee for a second or two. "We discovered this thief swiping bread from the baker's shop. We believe she is the one responsible for the recent missing items in the area." He beckoned behind him and another man in an identical uniform came in holding a small, wriggling figure. "She won't tell us a thing about herself- no parents, no home, not even a name."

"Come, now, let her go," Gwen said. "I doubt she'll cause any trouble here."

The girl yanked herself free from the second man's grasp. Now, they could get a good look at her. She looked to be about twelve. She had messy, shoulder-length raven hair. Her pants were obviously too small, as they came to her ankles. She wore a dirty off-white shirt and a brown vest over it. Around her neck she wore a strangely familiar red bolt of cloth. Brushing herself off, she said, "Well, that's better, thank you. Now, if you don't mind, I'll be going."

"Not so fast," Arthur called. "You have a crime to account for."

"Please," Gwen asked, "would you tell us your name so that we may know what to call you?"

"Freya. After my mother." She glared at the guard who had been speaking roughly to her. "See? Is it really that difficult to say _please_?"

"Why were you stealing from the baker, Freya?" Arthur interrupted. "That bread wasn't yours. You seem old enough to know that."

"Of course, I know that," Freya replied. "I didn't have the money to pay for it and it didn't seem like anyone was going to miss a roll or two."

"Then work for them! I'm sure the baker would be willing to feed you if you became his assistant."

"Well, I can't do _that_. I don't plan on staying in this city for much longer. I'm looking for someone, you see, and he's not here."

"Who are you looking for? We may be able to find this person."

Freya stood, staring at her boots, looking uncomfortable. "It's… it's my father. He disappeared one morning, and never came back." After a few seconds, she looked up at Arthur with bright eyes. "He's not dead, mind you! I'm going to find him!" She crossed her arms. "And it'll go quicker if you'll let me go on my way."

Gwen sat up straighter. "Your…father?" She sighed. "I know what it's like to lose a father. Arthur does, too. Tell us the man's name. We may have heard of him."

"I highly doubt it. Well, actually, you may have. He used to work here a long time ago. Before I was born. Do you recall meeting a man named Merlin?"


	2. Setting Out

Freya was surprised by the reaction. The king shot out of his seat. "Merlin?" he gaped. "We haven't seen him in twenty years! He's- you're-" He sat back in his seat. "Merlin had a _daughter_?" he said to himself.

The queen's reaction was not quite so dramatic. "Merlin is your father?" she asked. "If that's the case, it's our duty to help find him. He's saved all of our lives at one point or another. I had no idea he'd gone missing. We'd do anything to help. Isn't that right, Arthur?"

She nudged her husband, who was still in a daze, muttering, "Merlin got _married?_"

Freya rolled her eyes. "Well, of course he did. What did you think I was, some kind of apparition?"

"Well- no, but-" Arthur sputtered, but Gwen cut him off.

"Do you need lodgings?" she asked. "From the state of your appearance, I think you might like a bath and a good meal."

"That would be much appreciated, my lady," Freya replied, doing a little curtsy. "And if we could set off as soon as possible, that would be great."

"Timothy!" the queen called. The young boy that was waiting patiently by the doors crossed the hall. "I'd like you to tell my handmaidens to prepare the room next to mine and Arthur's for Freya. Also, if you would inform the stable master that we will be needing food and horses by tomorrow. Thank you."

"Yes, your highness!" Timothy said, bowing low. He ran out a side door, nearly tripping at least three times.

At dawn the next day, the king, the queen, and Freya set out on their quest to find Merlin, along with several of Arthur's personal guard. None of them were completely sure where they were going, but they thought it best to visit the spot he was last seen. Arthur had left his best, most trusted knight in charge of political matters while he was away.

The rulers were somewhat surprised to see Freya's competence with the horses. She expertly climbed up onto the saddle, sat confidently, and even seemed to communicate with the animal. She stroked his mane and whispered in his ear. She had obviously been around horses most of her life.

"So, Freya," Gwen said as they were leaving Camelot, "how long has your father been missing?"

"It's been about a year," Freya replied. "We're used to living in the woods, so we just went to bed under a tree one night, and when I woke up, he was gone." She put a hand to the red neckerchief she was wearing. "All that was left of him was this thing, and he rarely takes it off normally."

"I'm sorry," Gwen said. "He was- _is_- a good friend of everyone he met. I can't believe he'd just leave in the night. Was your mother gone, too?"

"I never knew my mother. She went away when I was little."

"Wait," Arthur broke in. "Did you say you lived in the forest? How on earth did you do that without getting attacked? Sorcerers and thieves wander the forest."

Freya shrugged. "Oh, my dad handled all the bad people we met."

"Really?" Arthur lifted an eyebrow. "I find it hard to imagine Merlin fighting off a marauding band of thieves, so long as he's still the twig he was twenty years ago."

Freya gave a sly smile. "I think he's a lot better at things than you take him for. How did you know him, anyway?"

"He was my servant," Arthur responded. "He did everything I did not have the time to do myself, being busy so much as a young prince."

"You mean, everything you were too lazy to do," Gwen added.

"What?" Arthur was taken aback. "Of course not! Everything I asked him to do was for a very good reason."

Gwen laughed. "Don't try to deny it. He cleaned your armor while you relaxed in your bedchamber. I worked in the castle then, too."

"That was only on occasion," the king complained. "And it was very important. Sometimes."

"Hold on-" Freya said. "You were the prince, as in, my father worked for you, as in, you're Arthur Pendragon? _The_ Arthur Pendragon?"

The king sat up straighter in the saddle. "Why yes," he said. "Yes I am."

They were all quiet for a second or two, until Freya burst out laughing. "What?" Arthur demanded loudly. "What is it?"

"Oh, goodness," Freya choked out between fits of laughter, "you should have heard the stories my father told about you! That time when- oh, that was hilarious!" Gwen couldn't help but giggle, too.

"Yes, that Merlin," Arthur grumbled. "Always the comedian."

"Don't worry," Freya assured him. "He held you in the highest regard. He had some very nice things to say about you." Arthur smiled a little. "But that one time when- the look on his face when he told me about it!"

"How wonderful," Arthur muttered.


End file.
